Bus Accident Attorney in Mount Vernon, MO

Bus Accident Attorney in Mount Vernon, MO. If you or a family member has been harmed in a destructive bus accident, take the first step in your recovery by calling Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or by contacting us online.

Bus accidents rarely ever receive equal attention as plane or train crashes, even though the can often be equally as dangerous and deadly. In 2020, there were 964 bus accidents in Missouri that resulted in personal injury or death. We trust Mount Vernon, MO bus drivers and bus companies to maintain our safety and obey the rules. When they break that trust and break the rules it can have devastating, sometimes permanent consequences for you or your loved ones. Your Mount Vernon, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make sure that you collect the maximum compensation that you deserve for your injuries.

At Burger Law, our bus accident attorney team has more than two decades of experience defending the injured in Mount Vernon and throughout Missouri and standing up to bullies like deceptive insurance companies and people who egocentrically do not want to take responsibility for their negligent behavior. Our Mount Vernon, MO clients have put their claims and their futures in our capable hands, and in total we have secured for them over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. Our bus accident attorney team uses their hard work, devotion, resolution, knowledge and experience to help right wrongs in personal injury cases and help Mount Vernon, MO residents become whole again. You should not have to lose wages, pay for sky-high medical bills and also manage the emotional shock of your injury only because someone else broke the rules. If you or a family member has been hurt in a Mount Vernon, MO bus accident, contact the bus accident attorney of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case evaluation. We start working on your claim at once, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your case.

If you were injured in a bus accident in Mount Vernon, MO because of another person's thoughtless actions, find out how much your damages may be worth by using our personal injury calculator.

Do I Need a Mount Vernon, MO Bus Accident Attorney?

If you have experienced injuries in a bus accident, we know you are feeling especially undefended. After all, you were not the driver and you boarded the bus under the assumption that the appropriate safety protocols were obeyed. Mount Vernon, MO bus companies and drivers have strict regulations they have an obligation to adhere to, but sometimes they fail in those duties and they leave us to pick up the pieces. Because of the force that is often exerted by bus accidents, injuries can take years to really recover from, may have permanent consequences or in the most tragic instances can even lead to wrongful death. The Mount Vernon, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will fight on your behalf so you do not have to face an uncertain future alone. When you hire us we start working on your case straight away, and will not let up until you win the best possible compensation you are owed. We have experienced with every type of bus accident case and know every trick insurance companies use to try and deceive injured Mount Vernon, MO individuals and families into settling for less money than they deserve. Those Mount Vernon, MO insurance companies fear us because they know our bus accident attorney team takes up – and wins – the difficult cases. Call us today and let the compassionate, seasoned and relentless bus accident lawyers at Burger Law help you protect your family’s future and help make you whole again.

Legal proceedings are complicated and can be unforgiving to Mount Vernon, MO residents who do not have the litigation and trial experience of an accomplished bus accident attorney. We have over two decades of experience standing up to bullies and fighting the hard fight. When you hire our Mount Vernon, MO bus accident attorney team, we oversee every facet of your claim. You can bank on a seasoned and savvy bus accident attorney at Burger Law to:

• Investigate the accident site the first chance we get. When you call us, we can have a bus accident lawyer on the scene at any time during the day or night in order to secure vital evidence for your claim.
• Interview eyewitnesses who were either also received injuries in the crash or were close by. As buses carry a variety of passengers, there are almost always other passengers who want the same answers and financial recovery you seek. We will perform official depositions of eyewitnesses to aid in your case.
• Obtain further evidence such as tire marks, security videos, police reports, as well as important details such as how far the driver had driven without taking a break or when the last inspection and maintenance was done on the bus. A lot of different factors play a part in bus accidents, and your Burger Law Mount Vernon, MO bus accident attorney will find out why the crash happened and who needs to be held liable.
• Work with our network of Mount Vernon, MO crash and medical experts to determine negligence for your bus accident injuries and work out exactly how much your injuries are worth. You deserve every dime of what you are entitled to and we will implement our knowledge and expertise to ensure you collect it.
• Stand up to resistant Mount Vernon, MO insurance companies who care more about their profits than your well-being. We have seen every trick in the book that insurance companies use to try and weasel their way out of their duty to compensate you. When you hire us, you can be sure those ploys will not work in your case.
• Take the fight to trial if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will use our expert litigation skills to win you a full financial recovery for your injuries.

Beyond that, our bus accident attorney team will be by your side the entire time. We manage all communication, documentation and litigation so that you can focus all of your energy on healing and making your family whole again. You owe us no attorneys fees until you get maximum compensation. If you or someone you care about has been injured in a calamitous bus accident, contact an expert and committed bus accident attorney at Burger Law today.

Who is Liable for My Bus Accident Injuries?

Because bus drivers, companies and manufacturers all have a role to play in operating a bus safely you will first need to determine the cause of the accident before determining who caused your injuries. Fortunately, an accomplished and skilled Mount Vernon, MO bus accident attorney like those at Burger Law have seen every type of car accident, truck accident and bus accident case and will be able to find out who needs to be held responsible for your injuries.

What Causes Bus Accidents? | Mount Vernon, MO Bus Accident Attorney

• Driver age and experience. A 2012 Journal of Safety Research study found that beginner drivers under the age of 25, as well as more experienced drivers over 55 years old were more likely to be driving when a bus accident occurred.
• Driver action. While the same study stated that a mere 4 percent of bus accidents were caused by a grave offense such as the driver being intoxicated, a different study by the University of Michigan reported that 31 percent of bus drivers in metropolitan area bus wrecks had committed driving errors, for instance, speeding, being sleepy or distracted driving.
• Driver fatigue. A large portion of bus drivers, particularly the ones that are employed by commercial bus companies such as Greyhound that require drivers to drive hundreds of miles at all hours of the day or night, become sleepy and can even fall asleep behind the wheel. While most busing companies have regulations about how many hours a driver can drive during a day or how frequently they have to take a break, those regulations are frequently <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/23/us/greyhound-investigation/" target="_blank” rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener title="CNN"not obligated or complied with.
• Road hazards. Given buses’ mass and the intricacy of steering them, icy roads or Mount Vernon, MO construction areas can be especially hazardous for bus riders. Occasionally a third party such as a construction company is negligent. Burger Law's bus accident attorney will help you discover if that applies case.
• Negligence by the bus company. Bus companies are regulated, but not close to as much as other transportation industries. A 2011 study by the National Transportation Safety Board found that The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has only 878 inspectors responsible for inspections of over 765,000 motor carriers, or just 1.15 inspectors per 1,000 motor carriers. This means reviews frequently cannot stay ahead of the amount of inspections required. Some Mount Vernon, MO bus companies do not adequately repair their vehicles, causing them to be a hazard. Additionally, bus companies are obligated to make sure that their drivers are sufficiently trained and are not overworked.
• Dangerous roads. Unsafe road conditions or hazards in the road can lead to a driver losing control and causing an accident. A Few common examples are:
  • Potholes
  • Uneven pavement or cracks in the pavement
  • Faulty or missing traffic lights
  • Obstacles on the road, for instance branches or vehicle wreckage
  • Insufficient lighting
  • Excessive grades

  The longer the hazardous condition has been on the Mount Vernon, MO road, the better your odds of holding the negligent parties responsible. The at-fault party may be a local Mount Vernon, MO government, or a third party whom the government contracted to fix the problem but either did not do so quickly enough or did not properly repair it.

Once your skilled Mount Vernon, MO bus accident attorney ascertains the reasons behind your wreck, they will be able to confirm who is responsible for your injuries and how to go forward with getting you full compensation. Below are some examples of parties who are typically found at-fault in bus accident claims.

Commercial Bus Companies

Transport buses such as Greyhounds are considered common carriers legally speaking, which means they have a duty of care to their riders to maintain their safety. Part of that duty of care is to make sure that their drivers are not driving too many miles in a day. Despite insisting that safety is their principal priority, a CNN report in 2016 found that Greyhound is not following its own rules in regards to driver fatigue. Drivers are technically obliged to stop every 150 miles and get out to inspect the bus to hold off fatigue. However, the rule is not enforced and is not often obeyed as too many breaks could cause financial losses for the company. A 2012 government study reported that 37 percent of all passenger bus crashes were because of driver fatigue. Additionally, many Greyhound customers have reported that their driver was eating during the time of a crash, which constitutes distracted driving.

Ensuring that Mount Vernon, MO buses are sufficiently inspected and repaired and that they have safety equipment such as seatbelts are also the responsibility of the bus company. A bus accident may be because of a bus company either neglecting to perform routine maintenance or failing to repair a broken part or component. Older buses are especially susceptible to breaking down and bus companies must keep their fleets updated.

Finally, bus companies need to be diligent in their hiring practices. All drivers need to be correctly licensed and trained, and should only be allowed to drive after passing strict background checks. Your Mount Vernon, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law will conduct a full investigation into the bus company's hiring practices and the person who was driving when the accident happened.

A Bus Manufacturer

Like car and other motor vehicle manufacturers, bus manufacturers have a duty to ensure the safety of their products and quickly announce recalls if a product is found to be unsafe. If they approve an inherently faulty design or do not recall a component that they knew or should have known was not functioning correctly, they are guilty of product liability. While they may attempt to place the blame on someone else, your Mount Vernon, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law has over two decades of experience making sure careless parties are held responsible for their behavior.

The Mount Vernon or Missouri Government or a Public Entity

Public transportation accidents can frequently be catastrophic because of the amount of people who could be injured and because they frequently take place in metropolitan areas. While you can make a claim against the Mount Vernon, MO government, there are particular procedures for doing so. Missouri has stricter protections for governmental entities and government employees than for the average citizen in injury liability claims. If you seek to make a claim against a municipality or government employee, you must file it within 90 days of the injury with the Office of Administration’s Risk Management Division. That is why it is vital to reach out to a Mount Vernon, MO bus accident attorney at once after your injury. There is no time to wait, call the trusted Burger Law bus accident injury lawyers now at (314) 500-HURT.

Missouri Revised Statute §537.600 grants sovereign immunity to government entities and employees except against a government employee who was operating a motor vehicle “within the course of their employment.” This means that you can sue or make a claim against an at-fault or thoughtless public bus driver in Missouri.

The Bus Driver

Even a properly licensed and trained bus driver can cause an accident due to negligence. If they became distracted by looking at the roadside or talking, did not pull over when they were feeling drowsy, did not pay attention to the Mount Vernon, MO road conditions and driving laws while they were driving or made the foolish decision to drive drunk, they need to be held accountable just like bus companies sometimes have to be. When you ascend a bus you trust that driver with your well-being and your life. If a bus driver does not take that duty seriously and causes you injury, you can be sure that the devoted and tenacious bus accident attorney at Burger Law will make them pay.

The Other Driver

Like any type of auto collision, two or more drivers are often involved, and in some cases they each may share a percentage of the blame. Another driver’s recklessness, such as speeding, driving while intoxicated or pulling in front of the bus too quickly can injure you. If you were hurt in a bus accident where there was another driver or drivers involved, your talented and veteran Mount Vernon, MO bus accident attorney will help you establish if they are responsible and if you should make a claim against their insurance company.

School Districts

School bus accidents are the most common type of bus accident in Mount Vernon and Missouri. Nationally, school bus accidents account for 40 percent of all fatal bus wrecks. While often the driver, bus company or bus manufacturer is liable, a school district in Mount Vernon, MO may also be held responsible, for example if they did not cancel school on a day when road conditions were particularly bad or they did not perform proper background checks when hiring drivers.

Below are some helpful links and frequently asked questions for bus accident injuries and other types of injuries:

• Do I have to Talk to the Insurance Company Before I Talk to a Lawyer?
• How Much to Expect in an Auto Accident Settlement
• What Happens During Litigation?
• Does My Family Have a Wrongful Death Claim?
• Proving Negligence in a Personal Injury Claim

What Compensation Can A Bus Accident Attorney in Mount Vernon, MO Recover For Me?

The compensation you are awarded in a bus accident case will generally be based on the severity of your injuries and the ramifications they have on your life. You may have sustained a sprained ankle that only required a quick trip to an emergency room in Mount Vernon, MO and a couple weeks off work. Or, you may have experienced a devastating spinal cord injury that leaves you disabled and in need of assistive devices for the remainder of your life. When you hire a dedicated and accomplished Mount Vernon, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law, we will make sure that you secure a maximum financial recovery for all of the pain and inconvenience your injury has caused and will continue to cause. Missouri Senate Bill 239 defines the damages you can receive as:

• Economic damages, including:
  • Medical costs, such as hospital bills, physical therapy, assistive devices and medications
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity

  We utilize our team of medical and economic experts to quantify the exact dollar amount you deserve, accounting for inflation for future lost earning potential or future medical expenses.

• Noneconomic damages, including:
  • pain and suffering
  • mental anguish
  • inconvenience
  • physical impairment
  • disfigurement
  • loss of capacity to enjoy life
  • loss of consortium

However grave your injuries and however much they have impacted your life, Burger Law's Mount Vernon, MO bus accident attorney team will fight tirelessly to ensure that you receive maximum compensation for all of your damages.

Learn more about our various practice areas by clicking the links below:

• Truck Crash Lawyers in Missouri
• Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Missouri
• Car Accident Attorney in Missouri

Call Our Mount Vernon, MO Bus Accident Attorney Today

We have seen every category of bus accident case and know the tremendous pain and catastrophic effect it can have on your and your loved ones. Your Mount Vernon, MO bus accident attorney at Burger Law is compassionate, accomplished, trustworthy and determined and will use every bit of the knowledge and abilities we have obtained over the past 20 years to get you the the best possible recovery you rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a bus accident, do not delay. Call Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a complimentary case review.